A 17th and 19th-century manor house with outbuildings on
nearly 4 hectares, near the banks of the Rance River, in Sant-Malo
nearly 4 hectares, near the banks of the Rance River, in Sant-Malo
Saint-Malo,
ILLE-ET-VILAINE
brittany
35400
FR
Location
In the Ille-et-Vilaine department, the property is located in Saint-Malo, the privateer city, while, approximately five kilometres away from both the historic centres of Saint Malo and Dinard, it is nestled within the countryside of the Rance River valley and surrounded by a neighbourhood of sumptuous country residences built by the shipowners of Saint-Malo. As for the train station in Saint-Malo, it provides high-speed rail service to Paris in two hours and 15 minutes, whereas Rennes and its international airport are accessible in approximately 45 minutes.
Description
The property, enclosed by stone walls, includes a manor house, a chapel, a farmhouse converted into a dwelling as well as annexe buildings, all located on a property of nearly four hectares, made up of an immense ornamental garden, a courtyard, an orchard, a former tennis court and meadows.
In the middle of the estate, the three-storey manor house, the top floor of which is under the eaves, features stone exteriors, partially coated in plaster, which are cadenced by wide small-paned windows, as well as a slate roof punctuated by dormers and tall chimneys. Part of the edifice, which was perhaps a former coaching inn, dates back to the 17th century, while its successive transformations, including a wing and chapel from the early 19th century, have provided it with its current layout.
As for the main dwelling, it includes several living areas as well as ten bedrooms and a chapel, whereas the farmhouse contains self-contained accommodations, operated as a guesthouse, as well as unconverted storerooms and attic spaces.
In the middle of the estate, the three-storey manor house, the top floor of which is under the eaves, features stone exteriors, partially coated in plaster, which are cadenced by wide small-paned windows, as well as a slate roof punctuated by dormers and tall chimneys. Part of the edifice, which was perhaps a former coaching inn, dates back to the 17th century, while its successive transformations, including a wing and chapel from the early 19th century, have provided it with its current layout.
As for the main dwelling, it includes several living areas as well as ten bedrooms and a chapel, whereas the farmhouse contains self-contained accommodations, operated as a guesthouse, as well as unconverted storerooms and attic spaces.
The Manor
The ground floor
The dwelling is directly accessible from either a door that opens on to the central living room, located next to a study, or from the main entrance, which gives on to a foyer with moulded panelling and a Burgundy stone floor dotted with black cabochon tiles. With two sitting rooms, featuring soaring floor-to-ceiling heights, original parquet floors and coffered wood panelling, one of these rooms includes a white marble fireplace, while the other features a fireplace with a carved wooden mantel.
Next door, a kitchen stands out thanks to its Saint-Cast and Burgundy stone floors, visible ceiling beams and an immense granite fireplace, whereas, extending on from here is a second semi-professional kitchen and a pantry. Lastly, a machine room, accessible from the outside, contains the new gas boiler.
The first floor
From the original wooden staircase, the landing provides access to a long hallway, which communicates with four bedrooms as well as their bathrooms and lavatories. As for these rooms, they have preserved their original parquet floors, painted wooden panelling, wainscotting, marble fireplaces as well as several other period decorative details, while some of these bedrooms, quite spacious, also feature a number of cupboards.
The second floor
This floor contains six bedrooms, decorated in a variety of different styles, as well as three bathrooms with lavatories, including an immense suite with its own bathroom, which is located on one end. One of the bedrooms features a marble fireplace, while another bedroom has been transformed into a music room, which demonstrates the wide range of possible uses for these spaces.
The Chapel
Located within the manor, on the first floor of the extension built in the 19th century, it is attributed to the English ecclesiastic architect George Goldie and his wife Marie-Madeleine Rose de Kersabiec, known as Stylite Siochan. Here, the light diffused by its tall windows and oculus bathes an interior that has remained faithful to its original design, while an altar, wood panelling and several devotional statues are still visible and its stained glass windows, decorated with coats of arms and monograms, recall this estate’s familial history.
The Farmhouse
Built out of stone and topped with a slate roof, it includes self-contained accommodations as well as storerooms and attic spaces, while its long façade, festooned with wisteria, is cadenced by small-paned windows and several hanging dormers. As for the ground floor, of approximately 80 m², it is laid out around a living room, with a corner kitchen, a dining room, a full kitchen, a bathroom, two lavatories as well as a utility room.
In the kitchen, an impressive stone fireplace contains a wood-burning stove, whereas, recently and carefully renovated, the dwelling’s interior has preserved, in particular, its visible ceiling beams, wood panelling and terracotta tile floors. In addition, a wooden staircase provides access to the upstairs level, located in the former dovecote, while the landing communicates, under its sloping ceiling, with a cosy bedroom, of more than 30 m², with its own bathroom and lavatory, as well as a suite, boasting a floor area of more than 80 m² as well as views of the grounds and verdant treetops, which includes a bedroom, a sitting area, a bathroom and a lavatory.
The Grounds
Alternating between large swaths of lawn, meadows and wooded areas, the manor’s outskirts are punctuated by several breath-taking trees, including an oak that is approximately 350 years old, a sequoia, a lime, a cedar and an ancient chestnut, while a meadow, of approximately 1.5 hectares, extends these landscaped areas all the way to the property’s edge, the latter of which is indicated by a curtain of mature arboreal specimens, including a walnut tree.
To the west, a stream known as the Rairie traverses a wooded area and several stone wells can be found scattered throughout the property, whereas not far from the farmhouse, the vestiges of a former press stand next to a lane that would have once been the former road to Rennes. As for the ancient greenhouse and gardener’s cottage, they recall the kind of organisation that was once necessary for maintaining these grounds, while a former chicken coop can be found next to a covered outdoor structure.
The Tennis Court
In a wooded area of the grounds, a former tennis court and its markings still remain.
The Orchard
Near the buildings, this includes several fruit-bearing varieties, such as pears, apples, plums, a cherry, an apricot, a fig and a Mirabelle plum tree.
Our opinion
Not far from Saint-Malo, the manor, farmhouse and grounds reveal an estate whose different elements have all preserved their own distinct identity, while the tourism accommodations that have been developed here over the years blend in seamlessly with the residential uses of the dwelling, which has remained, above all, a family home.
Only a few minutes away from Saint-Malo’s historic centre, the banks of the Rance and the shores of the Emerald coast, this property, whose history, layout and potential uses continue to resonate with the times, combines the attributes of a typically Breton landscape with proximity to many local attractions.
3 465 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 805082
| Land registry surface area | 3 ha 71 a 15 ca |
| Main building floor area | 484 m² |
| Number of bedrooms | 13 |
| Outbuildings floor area | 180 m² |
French Energy Performance Diagnosis
Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the website: www.georisques.gouv.fr
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NB: The above information is not only the result of our visit to the property; it is also based on information provided by the current owner. It is by no means comprehensive or strictly accurate especially where surface areas and construction dates are concerned. We cannot, therefore, be held liable for any misrepresentation.
